Airship



E. E. MOE

.S5-pt 3, 1929.

AIRSHIP Filed Oct. 18, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l gnou/Hoz,

E. E. MOE

AIRSHIP Sept. 3, 1929.

Filed 0G13. 18, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 f m9/ um wm. on .on

E. E. MOE

AIRSHIP Sept. 3, 1929.

5 Sheets-Sheet C5 Filed Oct. 18, 1928 wd .0M

Patented Sept. 3, 1929.

UNITED STATES EDWARD E. MOE, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

AIRSHIP.

Application led October 18, 1928. Serial No. 318,255.

This invention relates to airships and has for its obj ect to provide a construction which is adapted to travel over the land and sea and through the air.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a plurality of wings for the airship which are adapted to be tilted or adjusted in unison.

A further object of the invention is to provide adjustable pontoon floats for functioning as stabilizing media when the ship is resting upon the water and which are adapted to be swung upwardly when the ship is traveling over the land.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a water-tight shell which is adapted to float and to receive therein a removable gas bag` Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the follow'- ing detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the airship, its pontoons being in a lowered osition.

Figure 2 is a front end view of the invention.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken along the line 4 4 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrow; and

Figure 5 is a side view of the airship, the view being similar to Figure 1, with the eX- ce'ption that the pontoons are in a raised position.

Referring now to the drawings for a more particular description, in which like numerals of reference designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral'20 indicates a hull formed of suitable like, strong and durable metal. The metal parts of the hull are suitably riveted or welded together in a manner whereby a Water tight structure is provided.

As best shown in Fi ure 2, the contour of the hull is boat-like or floating upon the 'water and is provided with' a plurality of vehicle wheels 21 for traveling upon the land, said Wheels also being adapted to function as a landing gear. The wheels 21 are supported outwardly of the hull 20 by means of struts or other suitable keepers 22.

A cover ,23 is provided for the hull 20, the former being adapted to be attached to the latter by anyl suitable means', such as the straps or keepers 24..y

Interiorly of the lhull and cover a container 25 is placed which is adapted to contain helium gas and it will e'understood that saldcontainer 25 may e subdivided into multiple compartments whereby should one compartment leak the remaining compartments may be utilized for buoyancy.

A pilot house 26 is preferably' located at the top 0f the structure for housing `the operator and the necessary navigating instruments.

Adjacent the bottom of the hull the power plant is preferably located as indicated by the dotted lines at 27.

An outwardly extending frame-work 28 is rigidly secured to the hull 20 at both sides of the structure and is suitably reinforced by means of guide wires or cables 29 and`30 which are connectedA to the upper part of the structure and the lower part of the hull respectively, as best shown in Figure 4.

The frame-work 28 is adapted to support a plurality of wings which are pivotally mounted as at 30 for tilting adjustable movements. The-wing 31 at the forward end of the airship is of lesser area in plan than the wing 32 placed rearwardly of the wing 31 and similarly the wing 33 is of greater areathan either of the wings 31 or 32 for purposes later described.

The wings at each side of the airship are adapted to have simultaneous movements by means ofthe rock levers 34 and connecting rod 35, the latter being inl communication with the gearing at the rear of the airship generally indicated at 36. It will be understood that through a system of gearing (not shown) the connecting rod 35 is suitably coupled to the power plant 27 for moving the wings. t

At each side of the airship a pontoon 37 is pivotally mounted to the frame-work 28 as at 38 by means of hanger rods 39 to which the pontoons are pivotally attached. A cable 40 isV attached at the rear of the pontoons as shown in Figures 1 and 5, and it will be understood that the cable 40 is adapted to be wound and unwound by means of the power plant 27 with which it is in communication at all times for the purpose of moving the pontoon 37 from a lowered position to an upward position as shown in Figure 5. Any suitable means may be employed for locating the pontoon in a lowered position, said pontoon being yutilized for purposes later described.

Preferably a plurality of propellers are used. The forward propeller 41 has move- CII ferred to the propellers 43 through any suitable arrangement of gearing such as the driving rods 44.

At the rear of tl'ieair vehicle a rudder 45 is positioned and also an elevator 46, -said members being under the control of the operator at all times by means of'convention'al gearing, not shown.

Numeral 47 designates a plurality of' p'o'rt holes provided through the hull -20 and ,48

indicates an entrance door. It will be understood that the members 47 and 48 are adapted to be sealed in'a manner whereby water or airwill be prevented from entering the interior of the hull.

As best shown in Figure 4, two elongated passenger compartments49 are provided on each side of the ship and- .it will be understood that if desired, a passage-way or bridge may be provided from one compartment to the other, said bridge leading through the space normally occu ied by the-gas bag-.25. Y

In operation wh1 e resting on the water the pontoon floats 37 are swung to a downward position as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4 and since said floats are positioned ata comparatively great distance from the hull they will prevent undue transverse rocking movements of the hull.

The wings 31, 32 and 33 are normally maintained in a horizontal position when the ship is flying throu h the, air and may be tilted as shown in igure 1 when landing on the water, at which time they will function as a break for preventing undue forward travel of the vehicle.

' It will be understood that the vehicle may be turned in the air within a comparatively small arc of -a circle while the vehicle is in a horizontal position, since the rear rudder 45 may be utilized in conjunction with the forlward rudder 50, said rudders being tilted in reverse directions with respect to each other.

I claim as my inventlon:

1. In an airship, a central elongated cylin,

drical shell for containing gas, passenger compartments at opposedrsldes of the shell, a pair of frames approximately rectangular in plan rigid -with and extending from the sides mid-'way between the top and bottom of said shell, wings mounted to ermit swinging movements in the frames or controlling .altitudes in the movements of the airship,

float-members adapted to be swung and to be disposed in a plane below the axis of the cylindrical shell at opposed sides thereof equi-distant from andvbelow the outermost parts of said frames.

2. In an airship, .a hull provided with ground-wheels, a gas-holding cylindrical shell above -the hull, passenger compartments at the sides of the shell, a. cabin upon the to of the shell, a propelleratthe front ofthe s ell, .rectangul'ar frames rigid withand disposed approximately .in line with the axis at the sides'- of said shell, pivdtally mounted wings carried by said frames, and a pair of propellers each mounted in a frame and disposed approximately in line with the wings thereof.

3. In an airship, a gas-holding cylindrical shell, a propeller at the front of the shell, a rudder at the rear of the shell, compartments at the sides of the shell, a pair of frames at the respective-sides andv connected with the shell, a pair of pro ellers at the front of the frames and a plura ity of wings mounted to permit swinging'm'ovements in said frames,

' the wings ofeach frame differing in area as compared witheach other.' c

4. In an airship, a gas-holding cylindrical shell, compartments at the sides of the shell, a hull below the shell, a cabin above the shell,

a propeller at the front and a rudder at the rear of the shell, a pair of frames rigid with `and disposed at the sides of said shell, propellers at the front of said frames, wings mounted to permit Swingin movements 1n said frames, and a pair o float-members mounted upon and adapted to be adjusted transversely of the frames.

5. In an airshi a shell, compartments at the sides of the ell a hull below the shell, a cabin above the shell, propulsion means for the airship, steering means for the airship, a pair of frames rigid with and disposed at the sides of said shell, wings swingingly mounted in said frames, and a air of float members mounted upon and a apted to be adjusted transversely of the frames.

In testimony whereof, I have axed my signature.4 y

EDWARD E. MGE. 

